20

Brian walked behind the empress as Aria was headed to his children's bedrooms. Aria did seem to notice the pair of footsteps behind him and he just ignored them until he open Aaron's door to which he found the boy and his siblings there playing pillow tag. They were all happy and giggling oblivious of their mother stood by the door.All the four head maids of the children were there stood to the side and they saw the empress the wanted to greet him but Aria gestured they keep quiet to which the maids understood and kept quiet. Aria looked at his little children hitting each other with pillows, so care free from the world and very happy.He'd wish that they'd stay children for the rest of time, but he knew that was an impossible option. He knew that at one point in time they'd grow be a better version of rulers than both their parents. Even if they didn't get the throne because Aria had practically eradicated their chances at the throne himself, he knew they'd still have districts to run as deposed royal children. For some monarchies especially ones with more than one heir, it'd be a dangerous stunt to pull the rightful heirs from their claim at the throne, but Aria had a very strong supportive family and military army. He would know he's children would be fine even in the events of sudden death, for he knew that he'd die one day either from natural causes or 'natural' causes.The children were beyond safe if he were to die so he knew very well to keep them the most happiest whilst he was still alive and well. Tyler had once put him in the cold palace as punishment but this time around Tyler has no power over him and Aria can do whatever he wants, when he wants to, whenever he wants to. Tyler wants Aria's army seal and that keeps him at bay and the only reason he was an asshole at the beginning was because Aria let him be one, but now Aria knows better."Empress." Brian said as stood by the door leaning on the frame."Brother in law." Aria stated back as he looked to the broad shouldered man at door. He genuinely smiled and not the cold smile he always gave Tyler these days and the first prince smiled back and opened his arms for his brother in-law to embrace him. Aria did as gestured and ran into the man's embrace, upon impact the duo fell and a thud arose. The thud startled the children and their head maids, the all turned to look to the sound and found their mother atop of a strange man. Since the first prince wasn't in the palace most of the times, the quad never knew their father had an older brother and they didn't know the other royal princes and princesses other than their own siblings."Mother." Aaron yelled for the empress as he ran from his bed and siblings towards his mother in attempts to free him of the treacherous man who was held onto the empress. Anna, Alex and Ariel also seemed to look towards where Aaron was running to and joined the older twin in his mission to dislodge their uncle from their mother. They didn't want any man to touch their mother, not after what their father did to Aria and by who's mouth had the younglings heard is not known."Get of mommy!" Aaron said as he started hitting Brian with his little hands. It looked quite adorable and funny at the same time."Yes, get off mommy!" The other three children all chorused as they also started hitting Brian and the man getting assaulted only laughed at the younglings' antics.Aria did get off Brian, but as soon as he did so, the quad stood in front of their mother and 'shielded' him from the imposter who had just touched their mother, not knowing that their mother was the actual culprit for sprinting and landing on the other man. The empress did seem to forget he was pregnant and still in the early stages which were very dangerous for the same stunt he just pulled, he crouched down and grabbed his abdomen. This action startled the maids who were watching and Brian himself too, the maids had flinched and Brian bypassed the little shield in front of him and held Aria in his hands."Are you alright, empress?" Brian asked as Aria felt a little woozy and let himself rest in the embrace of his brother in-law, the man was his best friend and he could trust the elder to care for him like he would a little brother."I'm alright, just a little dizzy." Aria said as he tried to steady himself and tried to stand in his own accord."You should be careful empress." Eunice said as she proceeded to walk towards the stubborn pregnant male, she sometimes hated her job because her boss was very hotheaded and stubborn, stupid at certain times. Her best friend was a story to tell, a baby to care for."So how's my best friend?" Brian asked as he sat across Aria who was sipping a beverage he wasn't used to, coffee. Brian stayed true to himself as he liked to say, he drank tea and tea only. Something about it's herbs being medicinal, Aria called bullshit, he drank for the different flavours and nothing more. He thinks the tea sellers tell these health lies to get people to buy their stuff, because everyone wants to healthy without sweating an ounce of sweat and salt."Well, I'm a pregnant empress going on a business trip. Take a guess." Aria said as he sipped his creamy coffee. He smiled though it's been a long time since he saw the first prince and he was happy that the man was in one piece and not shredded because of his tongue."Well I'd say you seem happy and beautiful as always." Brian complimented and the surrounding maids blushed. Only the first prince could be a total flirt at his age, for a forty year old man he was pretty much still handsome, but then again who isn't good looking in their family. Aria was thirty and he looked like a twenty year old college student and surprising fact when the empress was a student back in the day, he looked as flawless as a teenager. Although teenagers aren't flawless, they be pimple filled angry bastards who want to kill anyone they feel like doesn't understand them or kill themselves cause they're not understood, but Aria was a beautiful young looking twenty old looking man and was as flawless as a teenager after puberty."I am indeed happy, I mean I'm pregnant and beautiful and non of these inferior low lives in this palace can make me feel bad or unhappy." Aria replied as he flaunted said health like a diva who knew they're shit. I mean a happy and confident person is someone who has nothing to keep them down, nothing can make them feel inferior or low spirited and that's how Aria was feeling at the moment. The empress has four children, a huge army and a powerful father, what is there to worry about. The only reason he never shunned and showed his power and suppressed the emperor and showed him what a true asshole he can be was because he loved the emperor with all his heart.BUT now that he still does love him, but isn't the same naive person he was before he is about to show these maggots what a true ruler is. The empress only now sees the danger he is in if he doesn't showcase his power because of the airplane incident. Him losing his baby showed him that if he isn't vigilant and protective his family will be in danger. So if a foot is to be shoved down a hoes throat then so be it."Then good for you, really." Brian said as he smiled at the pregnant monarch."On regular occasions I'd be gloomy or sulking because of the emperor and his favorite concubine, but now I've woken up and smelt the damn burnt coffee." Aria said as he twirled around the spoon in his coffee which was now running cold."I'm not going to ask how you burn coffee but I hear you also aren't you supposed to keep cussing to a low cause of the baby?" Brian asked as he pointed to the empress' belly. To which the monarch looked and made a realization face."It's fine I'm only two months and two weeks. I don't think it has ears at the moment. But I'll keep them on the low just to be sure." Aria replied as he fidgeted with the sugar packet that was on the table."Nervous?""Who? Me. Nah I'm fine." Aria replied as he smiled awkwardly. He was nervous indeed and it was killing him inside, usually he'd be ok with having another baby, Tyler is not a trustworthy person. He doesn't want to break the child's heart by letting a disappointing father in to it's life."Aria. I've been your friend way longer than this. I know you're nervous about another child, but look at the four that you already have. All grown and cute. You'll do fine, I promise." Brian consoled, but Aria seemed to disagree because that's not the reason why he's nervous."That's not it though.""Oh. It's Tyler, isn't it?" Brian asked, he's voice disappointed, something Aria seemed to have picked on despite the prince saying it lowly."I said I'd give him a chance with this child. He failed me once, what's stopping him from failing me again, surely a leopard doesn't change it's spots." Aria confessed, he honestly didn't know what to do, doubts about his decision to come back were surfacing in his mind and he didn't like it. He wondered if coming back to Atlia was a great idea."Aria you're a strong, very strong actually, man

you're the empress of Atlia, the former crown prince of Allira. I'm pretty sure you'll be fine with or without Tyler, you've done it before with the quad, what's one more child." Brian said as he caressed his best friend's hands and the poor maids who were forced to eat dog food were at their limits.

What Brian said made sense, he had done it before and he could do it again with or without Tyler in his life, but he'd remembered the time Aaron said dada in expectation after learning how to say mama. But sadly the father was absent, Aria may be a male too but the quad had known him as a mother not father so they'd expected their father to be there but nothing. He didn't want this next child to grow up like the others, but only time will tell.